socialists trying to crush Wal-Mart, when asked why he didn't like freedom, said:
Steve didn't get it.
Folks, something cannot be a right if it requires something from someone else. In order for you to have medical care, SOMEONE ELSE must provide it for you. Someone else's labor MUST be used. That's taking. When government forces it upon someone else, that's the same as stealing.
Rights are things YOU have. Rights are things YOU can do. I have the right to freedom of speech -- and that requires nothing, not even listening, from anyone else. I have the right of freedom of assembly. You do not have to provide me a place to assemble -- you need do nothing for me to have and exercise that right.
I have a right to life -- it requires you to do nothing for me to be alive.
When people try claiming things as housing and medical care as "rights," it shows that they have no concept of rights. If something that requires someone else is a "right," then rights are determined by government, exercised only by force, and quite literally anything can be determined to be a right.
Remember folks, government CANNOT grant rights. Rights are granted by a power much higher than government will ever be. Government is only capable of taking AWAY rights -- and that's almost never for good.
1
I do not think health insurance is a right. I do think that since companies eliminate compettition through "consolidation" that in fact they become monopolists. In the financial world we call it "pricing power". If we are increasing pricing power we are in fact eliminating compettition. This works both on the sales and cost of goods sold side of the equation.
The way I perceive this "battle" is an attempt to limit pricing power on the cost of goods sold (employment wages) position.
I am a free market proponent and have to say that I am leaning toward the legislative solution in order to protect "compettition".
Posted by: David at January 14, 2006 02:53 PM (Jdbsc)
2
How does punishing a private company and making goods more expensive for EVERYONE increase competition?
Posted by: Ogre at January 14, 2006 02:58 PM (+Gl1m)
3
Through consolidation Walmart and other national retailers have created monopolies. We take on monopolies continuously because increased compettition results in lower prices. The idea that today's products cost less from the mega retailers does not take into consideration price/quality ratios. Two simple examples: the Tshirt you bought in 1970 would last for 100 washings and cost 5$ the same Tshirt today last for 10 washings and cost 3$.
Housing is another example, since 1964 the HB industry is 25% less productive, that means the same house, using relative dollars cost 25% more.
Increased compettition always results in lower prices, contraction of compettition results in higher prices.
Our perception is that the products at Walmart or Target cost less, I propose that they actually increase cost by reducing quality.
Posted by: David at January 14, 2006 03:40 PM (Jdbsc)
4
I'm curious. To the people that think Health Insurance should be a privilege, who should pay for it? or are we just not going to pay the doctors, hospitals, staff and labs?
If those of us that worked hard to get a good paying job are expected to pay extra so Joe and Jane Poorhouse have insurance, why should I work hard to make more money and try to better my life if I'm going to be punished for it?
Posted by: Contagion at January 14, 2006 07:54 PM (e8b4J)
5
And in a free market, David, you don't have to buy the lower quality item if you don't want it!
If Wal-Mart is a monopoly, then break them up -- don't punish them financially.
Posted by: Ogre at January 14, 2006 10:04 PM (+Gl1m)
6
Actually, Wal-Mart DOES have excellent health coverage, you just have to be *full time* to get it...
What a lot of folks don't understand is this, Wally World goes thru a lot of *Temp* help, not from *temp* services but from folks that need a job, ANY job, and they need it now, and have no intention of staying to begin with...
My wife is in *upper middle management* for a company that is contracted to Wal-Mart and we have a lot of serious dealings with Wal-Mart directly and thru some friends that are both former *upper* management with Wal-Mart...
The benefits are unsurpassed, but like anywhere else, you have to EARN them, and a lot of folks want instant gratification...
Ogre, I found you thru GM's blog, he's a great guy and on my blog roll, I came in to see your place, saw THIS and just had to post... Take care...
Fred
Posted by: TexasFred at January 14, 2006 11:17 PM (qX3iX)
7
Thanks very much for stopping by, TexasFred! Any friend of GM is a friend of mine and quite welcome here!
And yes, people refuse to admit that employees of WalMart actually WANT to work there. No one is forced at gunpoint to work for WalMart! When one opens up, there's a HUGE line of people wanting to work there -- part time OR full time.
I know a person who's an employee there. They do occasionally complain about the hours. I simply tell them, "Why don't you find another job?"
The answer? "Oh, that's too much work, I don't want to do that."
Posted by: Ogre at January 15, 2006 02:58 AM (+Gl1m)
8
Interesting that I've been hearing about monopolies, decreased competition, and consolidation for decades but somehow we have more companies every year.
It reminds me of the folks worrying about how much Rupert Murdoch owns of the media (2%), and hankering for the good old days of competition when there were three networks, a similar handful of movie studios or news magazines, and a couple of dominant newspapers.
David, what you see is real, it's just not the whole story.
Posted by: Assistant Village Idiot at January 15, 2006 04:06 AM (bfKow)
9
But it's just not fair, you see, AVI. They have MORE than I do, so I want some of it...at least that's the primary motivation that I observe from the anti-WalMart crowd.
Posted by: Ogre at January 15, 2006 02:00 PM (+Gl1m)
10
Yep, I have a right to healthcare, no matter who pays for it. And they better fix me up good, because if they don't, I have a right to sue the pants off them. That'll show 'em.
[/sarcasm]
Posted by: Oyster at January 15, 2006 02:17 PM (YudAC)
11
And you certainly have the right to sue them so you don't have to work!
Posted by: Ogre at January 15, 2006 02:34 PM (+Gl1m)
12
I pray you get cancer and have to spend tens of thousands of dollars on medical bills. I hope it is painful, too. I hope you have a thousand surgeries and your life is ruined because of your medical bills. Then maybe you think differently.
And I am not even one of those "liberals" you call scum everyday.
Posted by: Robin Hood at January 15, 2006 10:29 PM (3Xdjc)
13
Wow. I cannot imagine how horrible your life is, filled with such utter hatred and evil.
Posted by: Ogre at January 15, 2006 10:38 PM (+Gl1m)
14
And no, most liberals I know are just confused and misguided, not filled with utter hatred (although there are many on the left who are filled with such hatred).
Posted by: Ogre at January 15, 2006 10:39 PM (+Gl1m)
15
Oh, c'mon, Ogre, that guy just 'outed himself' as just like all the rest of the people you call scum every day. C'mon. You know you want to say it.
Liberal scum!
ah that made me feel so much better...you liberal scum. Gosh I said it again! That guy was liberal scum! bwhahahaha
And the curse he put on you--I hope he was stirring his cauldron full of bats wings and frogs eyes when he was saying it to you.
Liberal scum...
Posted by: Cao at January 16, 2006 01:59 AM (RyucI)
16
I just can't help but feel sorry for someone who is really filled with so much hatred in their life. It's really, really, sad.
Posted by: Ogre at January 16, 2006 02:08 AM (+Gl1m)
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